Box-fastener.



No. 724,343. I PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. J. M. SIAS.

BOX FASTENER. 1

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26. 1902.

R0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

m: "011KB PETERS m. FNOHJ-LIYHO. WASHINGYON. n L

. shown in the drawings.

the side and end walls.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN M. SIAS, OF MYRA, WEST VIRGINIA.

BOX-FASTEN ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 724,343, dated March 31, 1903.

Application filed May 26, 1902. Serial No. 109,079. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern! Be it known that I, JOHN M. SIAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Myra, in the county of Lincoln and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such. as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention belongs to that class of inventions known as box-fasteners.

My invention is primarily intended as an egg-case fastener, but may be used on boxes for the shipment of any kind of goods where it is desirable to have the box returned. The box, as shown in the drawings, is made of pine wood; but it may be made of any kind of wood or open-work sheet-iron, or wickerwork of any light material, provided that it willbe strong enough to prevent the box from collapsing.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View with the lid thrown back. Figs. 3,4, and 5 are detail views showing the lock and key. Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the box on the line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the box when it is knocked down. I

The top, the bottom, the end, and the side walls of the box are hinged together, so that' no one part may be lost or separated from the other parts.

My invention is described as follows: 1 represents the side walls; 2, the end walls; 3, the top; 4, the bottom. The side and end walls are hinged together by strap or butt hinges 5, which fit against the inner faces of These hinges are preferably countersunk; but they are not so The lid and bottom are hinged to the side walls by butt or strap hinges 6. These hinges may also be countersunk; but they are not so shown in the drawlugs.

Hinged vertically in the center of the box by butt or strap hinges 7 is a partition 8, its free end carrying a sliding bolt 9. This hinge and sliding bolt may also be countersunk.

Secured in the free edge of the lid is a keykeeper l0, having, in its extended end a rectangular oblong opening 11, and secured in the wall, immediately under the key-keeper 10, is another key-keeper 12, having in its extended end a rectangular oblong opening 13, corresponding with the rectangular opening 11. Fitting in these two rectangular openings is a key 14, having lugs 15, 16, and 17, extending from its stem 18. These lugs are short enough to enable me to withdraw the key 14 from its two rectangular openings; but the top lug 15 is wider than the said rectangular opening 11 is long, so that the key cannot pass downwardly through said opening. two key-keepers and the lug 17 below the lower key-keeper. Said key 14 maybe turned sidewise, as shown in Fig. 4, in which case the lugs 16 and 17 will impinge against the lower faces of the key-keepers 10 and 12, and when so turned the lid and bottom are locked, and pressing against the edge of the lower lug 17 when it is turned outwardly is a spring 19, and this spring 19 presses against theside of said lug when it is turned sidewise and keeps it from turning, and thereby keeps the box locked; but when I wish to unlock the box I thrust a nail or some like thing in the perforation 20 and turn the key edgewise, as shown in Fig. 3, and then the key may be easily removed and the box opened.

The fastener for locking the free edge of the bottom is exactly similar to the fastener for locking the free edge of the lid.

Having described my invention, what I 90 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a box, provided with ahinged lid; a keykeeper secured in the free edge of thelid, and provided with an oblong perforation; a key- 95 keeper secured to the side wall, immediately under the said key-keeper, and provided with an oblong perforation, registering with the oblong perforation of the key-keeper just mentioned; a. key consisting ofa stem, a rec- I00 The lug 16 operates between the tangnlar oblong perforated lug, and two reetangular oblong lugs, integral with said stem; said lugs some little distance apart, the center lug operating between the two bolts mentioned, and the lower 111g below the lower bolt; a spring secured to the side wall of the box, and adapted to press against the edge or side face of the lower lug, substantially as shown and described and for'the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I affi x my signature 1n presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

J O. VIoKERs, .A. F. BLACK.

JOHN M. SIAS. 

